The plane took off from Renton just before 11 a.m. Thursday to officially begin its test flight program, with Christine Walsh and Ed Wilson piloting the aircraft, according to details released by Boeing.

Boeing 737 Max 9 is pushed backwards on Boeing Field following its first test flight on April 13, 2017.

Media: GRANT HINDSLEY

Walsh commanded the flight, which headed northwest and then east across the mountains before turning back and landing early in the afternoon. In all, it flew a two-hour, 42-minute route, Boeing reported.

The MAX 9 is the second of Boeing's new 737 line, with room for 220 passengers and a range of 3,515 nautical miles. To date, Boeing has 3,700 orders for planes from the MAX family, the company said in a news release.

Boeing reports that the 737 MAX planes have been the fastest-selling in Boeing history, and they are set to be significantly more efficient than existing planes. The MAX 8 is set to enter service soon, while the MAX 7 is set to debut in 2019.